Othello Retold (Again)
by TapTapAlways
Summary: In "Othello", we get a full perspective of just how toxic lies can truly be. But what if something was missing... And that something - or someone - could help?
1. Someone Distraught

_They say that in Shakespeare's time, homosexuality was actually - silently - much more accepted than we think today. It was basically only illegal if you did something in broad daylight (which today would be public indecency) full on sexual assault, or - and this is the bad one - if someone more powerful than you accused you of something. As such, it was a political correctness thing, I suppose, which must be why Shakespeare didn't write of it._

 _In light of this terrible lack of diversity, I have decided to help out. This is my remake of Othello - with a "gay best friend" added. As you will quickly realise, the play is much better for it. (Though not as much of a tragedy.)_

 _"Othello" is in the public domain, and I totally claim full copyright on my work - if anyone want to publish or perform it, send me a PM and I am sure we can get along! ;)_

 _TapTap_

Othello was drinking slowly. Iago was not what he'd call a trustworthy sort - he hadn't come this far because he couldn't judge character, after all - and he did not for a second believe him over his lovely Desdemona. That was it. End of story.

It wasn't that easy though. Sighing, he took another sip. Nothing Iago said should matter. He did know that. It still ate at him though, and that scared him. If only there was a way to _know_ for _sure_...

The sound of loud, happy laughter from over by the bar was a timely and welcome distraction. Looking over, Othello saw their much loved and respected commanding officer holding court. That wasn't unusual.

The Captain went back to staring silently into his cup, but someone had noticed his gaze and his apparently low mood. And that someone was coming over. None of them knew it, but that one moment would _change_ _everything_.


	2. Someone To Help

_Here we go again - let's get right back to Shakespeare!_

 _TapTap_

"Othello?" The young captain looked up and saw Iorik, his commander's husband and a good friend of Desdemona's. If there would be anyone who knew the truth...?

Before he knows it, Othello found himself drawn in by the strange charm of his commander's husband - that almost hypnotic ability the man possessed to make anyone trust and confide in him - and he was spilling the entire story into his sympathetic ear. About Cassio and the fight and his subsequent demotion and Iago's stories and how Desdemona's handkerchief had ended up with the now demoted younger man.

Through it all, Iorik was listening silently, head tilted slightly, not saying one word all the while. When Othello finally finished, looking up from his glass and asking, "Well, what do you think?" not really expecting an answer, he got what was almost a smile in reply. "You know I am a friend of your wife's, don't you?" At Othello's nod, the slightly older man smiled slightly more widely. "I am also a friend of Emily's - you know her, don't you? Iago's wife."

"Of course," Othello agreed, slightly puzzled. "She attends on Desdemona.""Quite. And so it is no wonder that she found that handkerchief when Des dropped it - I am sure she did not know what Iago intended to invent when she gave it to him, though. At Othello's upset and surprised expression, Irorik merely smiled. "I hear a lot. People say I am a good listener." He managed to say this, still smiling, without looking the least bit smug. He really was a throroughly decent man.

"By the way," Iorik noted, rising, "I don't think Cassio meant to start a rattle the other day. Others saw Iago ply him with drink. My husband is dealing with it already - others have bore witness that the wrong men have gotten the blame - but I will assure him he needs not blame you. He is not so inclined, anyway." And with those words, the most sympathetic man in the regement - though he was not a soldier, but married to one - left to answer his husband's call. He had given Othello much to consider, anyway.

Othello stayed in the bar, watching as Iorik continued to charm the people around him - now on his husband's arm - suddenly smiling a little bit. Iago was a liar. Desdemona was (like he had used to be so sure of, and now was again) his angel, he was a _very_ lucky man (who had not been wrong about either his wife _or_ Cassio), Cassio would get back his rightful title soon enough, and it was true, what they said: Iorik really _did_ know everything.


	3. Someone To Love

_Welcome back - this is the third and final part of this little drama. I hope you have all enjoyed it, and I would treasure any comments you might have._

 _Read on!_

 _TapTap_

Othello paced back and forth in the room for what had to be the hundred-and-eleventh time. At _least_. This was unbearable. Unbearable, unthinkable and horrid. He never wanted to go through it again. When he said so out loud, all his comrades who were with him laughed and said that he would soon forget, that he had said so!

As Othello started to mutter incomprehensible things for himself, the door finally - _finally_ \- opened, and Iorik stepped out, holding a tiny little bundle swept into an embroidered, white blanket, which looked divinely soft. Othello would soon find out for himself, just how true that was.

"Othello," Iorik announced cheerfully, giving his husband a wink as he passed him, "let me introduce you to your daughter: Sarah. Desdemona is resting, but she is doing very well. Congratulations - you're a father!"

There was a chorus of other well-wishes, but Othello did not properly hear them as he accepted the delicate bundle of someone he already felt, deep in his heart, he loved above anybody else. No one and nothing would _ever_ be allowed to harm her, and anyone who tired would have to go through him!

Silently, perhaps noticing how the new father needed a moment alone with his little treasure, but mostly because Iorik shooed them, the soldiers trotted off to wait for their friend at the pub, where they'd have a celebratory drink.

Smiling silently at one another, exchanging looks which spoke more than most words, husband and husband went out together, hand in hand, to go home to their own daughters, and leave Othello to his. It should all be fine - ever since Iago had been so spectacularly decloaked and banished almost a year ago, things had really been very quiet - for a war, anyway. All was well.

And they all lived happily, ever, after.

All except Emily, who was feeling really rather foolish, and Iago, who would never be pleased, wherever he finally went, because he always desired what someone else possessed, instead of his own lot: and thus would never have enough.

But all who deserved to so feel - the brave Othello and the kind Desdemona, the spirited Casssio and his loving ladylove, the wise general and his gentle husband, every one of them, got the love and the happiness they all deserved. It was, as they say, nothing more than they deserved.

 _Note One: If anyone wonders if a man would be allowed to assist at childbirth, that depends a lot on_ very _specific times and customs, and in this case since Iorik always ends up with the wives, being the husband of a soldier, it has just developed that way, as he is a very soothing presence. He is probably not doing_ actual _midwifeing (presumably there's a midwife) but he is on all accounts an excellent choise to go tell the men about the successful birth and show off the baby to the nervous father._

 _Note Two: Sarah sounds like a modern name, but it is actually thousands of years old. In Hebrew, it meens Princess. I thought it was appropriate._

 _Note Three: I am not in any way critising Shakespeare with this piece. It is a splendid tragedy, a play worth watching for sure, but it_ is _a tragedy and "fluffing up" endings is what I do! This is why Shakespeare is the Master of Tragedy, and I, the deity of Fluff! I am, after all, the Fix-It-Fairy (or so they say...)._

 _TapTap_


End file.
